11 year old and really bad headache

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions. Yesterday he ate very well, had no fever, yet the headache remained. I gave him junior strength tylenol again and it did not help. Here's two things I noticed though. The tylenol expired last year and the highest doage is for an 11 year old that weights 95lbs. He's 5'3" and weights 110lbs. Most adult meds are for 12 and over though, although he would fit the weight requirements for a 12 year old. Not sure if I should have tried something else.

I'm going to wake him up now and if he still has a headache today I'll take him in to the doctor. Today would be day 4. It's not unusual for him to get headaches that last days when he's sick, it's usually his main symptom. In the past I've taken him to the doctor for days of a headache only to have the headache gone and him feeling 100% better while we are sitting in the waiting room. I swear it never fails!

My guess would be that he has some kind of mild migraine condition that is triggered by illness. That is actually pretty common (lots of migraine sufferers get them worse when they are otherwise ill, not least of all because both dehydration and fevers can bring them on), it's just that most people get migraines at other times too. Probably worth asking a doctor about -- they might have suggestions for prophylactics when he feels a headache coming on since he seems like the headache turns out to be worse/more debilitating than the underlying minor illness.

Yes, this is exactly right. Thank you for this post, I am going to ask the doctor about this specifically.

[Anonymous]

Mom of migraine son here ... there are a lot of things (diet, atmospheric pressure, dehydration, fatigue) that trigger migraines and if he is vomiting at the onset then an oral med will do no good. There are nasal sprays that are approved for pediatric use and I highly recommend them if this becomes a pattern. Also a low dose beta blocker helps relieve the full body pressure the same way that the vomiting does at the onset. My son's migraines were worse in spring and fall when there are great changes in the atmospheric pressure. At this age though, the hormones are kicking in and that really ups the ante with respect to migraines. Sorry but you may have a few years of this until he gets completely through puberty. I would definately recommend a pediatric neurologist over a pediatrician. I love our pediatrician but he knew virtually nothing about migraines and gave us an rx for something not approved for pediatric use. Dr Beth Latimer is really good ped neurologist.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for those recommendations, pp.

[Anonymous]

Also, when I get really, really bad headaches (I've never officially been diagnosed with migraine, and they don't really stop me because I just power through or I'd be home 4 out of 7 days of the week, nearly every week. But they last for days and they are ONLY touched by Excedrin. Because it has caffeine, which is the thing that opens up (dilates) the blood vessels in the brain that cause the migraine. Or so I've been told. Of course coke or coffee would work, but I find excedrin works.

BUT you need to speak with your doctor given his age.

I do not get the kind of migraines that cause auras, throwing up, or double vision, and I don't need to go to my room in the dark with no sound (I had a friend like that!) but my head hurts so much and they last for days - I can actually get one if I talk about headaches too much. And if I'm dehydrated. And if I'm tired. And if I'm stressed. And if nothing is wrong but I still get them. Sigh.

Excedrin is my friend. And heat packs on my head when the excedrin can't touch them. And patience. Sitting in the dark is good. TV or phone use is bad. They suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, when I get really, really bad headaches (I've never officially been diagnosed with migraine, and they don't really stop me because I just power through or I'd be home 4 out of 7 days of the week, nearly every week. But they last for days and they are ONLY touched by Excedrin. Because it has caffeine, which is the thing that opens up (dilates) the blood vessels in the brain that cause the migraine. Or so I've been told. Of course coke or coffee would work, but I find excedrin works.

BUT you need to speak with your doctor given his age.

I do not get the kind of migraines that cause auras, throwing up, or double vision, and I don't need to go to my room in the dark with no sound (I had a friend like that!) but my head hurts so much and they last for days - I can actually get one if I talk about headaches too much. And if I'm dehydrated. And if I'm tired. And if I'm stressed. And if nothing is wrong but I still get them. Sigh.

Excedrin is my friend. And heat packs on my head when the excedrin can't touch them. And patience. Sitting in the dark is good. TV or phone use is bad. They suck.

Have you looked into cluster headaches? It doesn't sound like a migraine, maybe it is worth looking into? I think treatment is different than for migraines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, when I get really, really bad headaches (I've never officially been diagnosed with migraine, and they don't really stop me because I just power through or I'd be home 4 out of 7 days of the week, nearly every week. But they last for days and they are ONLY touched by Excedrin. Because it has caffeine, which is the thing that opens up (dilates) the blood vessels in the brain that cause the migraine. Or so I've been told. Of course coke or coffee would work, but I find excedrin works.

BUT you need to speak with your doctor given his age.

I do not get the kind of migraines that cause auras, throwing up, or double vision, and I don't need to go to my room in the dark with no sound (I had a friend like that!) but my head hurts so much and they last for days - I can actually get one if I talk about headaches too much. And if I'm dehydrated. And if I'm tired. And if I'm stressed. And if nothing is wrong but I still get them. Sigh.

Excedrin is my friend. And heat packs on my head when the excedrin can't touch them. And patience. Sitting in the dark is good. TV or phone use is bad. They suck.

Have you looked into cluster headaches? It doesn't sound like a migraine, maybe it is worth looking into? I think treatment is different than for migraines.

Possibly a low daily dose of elavil could stop/reduce them.